Check out this post: "100 Theme Basket Ideas" in Fundraising. Or try the search engine.
Lots of great ideas.
We are doing this for our spring/wine-pairing dinner fundraiser (PTA sponsored for our elementary school) and asking each classroom to prepare one basket for a silent auction.
RUBY
WE ALSO AUCTIONED OFF CLASSROOM THEME BASKETS AT OUR FIRST AUCTION.(11/04) We are still learning. I would be interested in knowing about your themes and some of the items that were included.
Anyone else do theme baskets? What themes do you use?
We have such a wide range of items! We have things ranging from gift certificates, classroom theme baskets, holiday items (we do our Auction in November), autographed photos, overnight accommodations at local hotels, craft items, etc. We call ours a "Craft & More Auction" and we solicit businesses locally and nationally but we also ask that every family donate a "craft" item valued at $10. Whether they make it themselves or purchase it from a craft show/store, it doesn't matter. Sometimes we group these items together for a better "presentation". Hope that helps.
put together a printed list of the items, distribute this list with your newsletter. Write a brief description of the item, romance it a little bit! Put out some items to be a Feature Item, include a retail value if you wish, or a donated value or an expected auction value, just to give people an idea of the value in $. Include small pictures in this information if you wish or can.